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Samsung Announces New Version of Galaxy S II with LTE and Upgraded Specs, What’s Up Verizon?

We still have no reason to believe that Verizon will get the Samsung Galaxy S II after their head spokesperson Brenda Raney, denied that they would carry a variant of it to the Wall Street Journal. And after seeing the Verizon version missing from a promo picture that was outed last week which featured versions from T-Mobile, AT&T and Sprint, things are looking more grim then ever. But what about this new LTE version?

Many of you saw the announcement over the weekend from Samsung that they have a newly revamped version of the Galaxy S II to unveil at IFA, one that will include a bigger 4.5″ Super AMOLED Plus screen, upgraded 1.5GHz dual-core processor and, wait for it, LTE support. There is a chance that the rumored next Nexus device will be very similar to this phone. It doesn’t have an HD screen though, but neither does the GT-i9250 that was the rumored model number. Other specs definitely seem to match up pretty closely to what we have been hearing behind the scenes.

With Big Red saying “no” to the SGS2, that could also just mean they will re-brand it on their own network. A story this morning mentioned that the next Nexus will head exclusively to VZW with the “DROID” brand attached, but our sources aren’t so sure of that happening. We wouldn’t be surprised though if we saw some form of this phone on Verizon, just without the Galaxy tag – although, we aren’t sure what the heck they would do with it. Nexus certainly seems like the next option if they don’t go Galaxy or DROID, but that would also mean it wouldn’t be exclusive. (Confused?)

It’s all a mystery still at this point, folks. Samsung is pumping out so many new devices and variants of current devices that it has become almost impossible to keep up with them. One thing we do know, is that they figured out a way to pack in an LTE chip without adding extra girth.

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Why do carriers on insist on all these variants?!? (Yes I’m blaming carriers). Why the heck don’t they just have the one phone and call is Samsung Galaxy SII (Sprint) or Samsung Galaxy SII (T-Mobile) for what ever carrier it supports. Carriers are doing there best to protect themselves, but they aren’t fooling anyone anymore and they make themselves look stupid in the process.

Anonymous

With Big Red saying “no” to the SGS2, that could also just mean they will re-brand it on their own network. A story this morning mentioned that the next Nexus will head exclusively to VZW with the “DROID” brand attached, but our sources aren’t so sure of that happening. We wouldn’t be surprised though if we saw some form of this phone on Verizon, just without the Galaxy tag – although, we aren’t sure what the heck they would do with it…@7047c2c018094c21ae334cc8e90fc5e3:disqus i cant believe this!! me and my sister just got two i-pads for $42.77 each and a $50 amazon card for $9. the stores want to keep this a secret and they dont tell you. go here GrabРеnny.сom

Anonymous

that thing has the bottom curvature of a nexus device. I’ll bet in the states, the top also has that curvature.

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Anonymous

I will take the bionic over all the upcoming devices.
Bionic
sammy 2 if it has lte
prime
vigor

Anonymous

you will take the bionic over the Bionic? you sound like a moto phanboy. Nothing against moto, but the SGSii and the rumored prime and vigor both are better that the aircraft carrier known as the Bionic

Anonymous

Why would they be better because it has 1.5 1.2 processor? That will not make a difference. Remember sammy is making galaxy s 2 and prime. ( cheap hardware) htc we all know about their battery life etc. I am a moto fan boy, but if sammy and htc can come up with something good i might get an htc device. Moto keep making the best qualities with more features as well. hdmi mirror, webdock, zumocast etc

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Getting kind of sick of Big Red been waiting on a phone to upgrade to for six months. Amd its been nothing worth getting. While I see all my co workers and friends with new tech. And they have not a clue as how to use it. At this point I just want to see facts not rumors with vzw. PS just release a damn dual core 4g already

Testoroni

Noticeably missing from the phone is the “Galaxy SII” Logo… So if you ask a question whether Verizon is getting a “Galaxy SII” … well maybe they are not. Maybe Verizon is steering clear of the Samsung Galaxy naming confusions…

I think the biggest thing to take out of this article is that the Nexus Prime may not have an HD screen: http://ausdroid.net/2011/08/28/samsung-google-nexus-prime-will-only-have-a-wvga-800×480-display/
Does that change anyone’s mind on getting the Prime?

Anonymous

Not one bit, 720p screens are total overkill on a 4.5″ or smaller screen. I’ll take the AMOLED+. Besides, the AMOLED HD screen is supposed to go back to pentile so its benefit is highly questionable. I’d also rather have the GS2’s 4.3″ screen.

Anonymous

Are you still getting the bionic?

Dash Speeds

I’m so over the GSII, Bionic it is for me!

Anonymous

SCREW THESE T-MO ADS.

Stelv81

Adblock Plus is your friend

Anonymous

At first I thought…well most sites can not control what ads are being used since they use some generic company to handle the ads. Then I saw that the life in droid life is pink, was it no red before?

Anonymous

What did t-mobile ever do to you? Who cares.

John

“Where’s our effin phone deadbeat ”

Anyone…anyone..?

Droiid

Here’s a possibility: Verizon will release a samsung, droid branded phone that is identical or similar to this phone, that doesn’t technically have any affiliation with the galaxy line. (Kind of like the nexus s, which is essentially a galaxy s with nexus branding) Then, later on, verizon will release the nexus device with the hd display, ics, and maybe a few other upgrades. (Kind of like t-mobile did with the vibrant and galaxy s 4g).

Yeah, and I’d rather have the 2012 Nexus device over this, but not everyone wants to wait for a rumored device that VZW will probably never get — and even if they do get the “prime”, you can bet that they will do everything in their power to cripple the shit out it.

That said, i hope I’m wrong and that the new Nexus device is released on VZW tomorrow without any restrictions.

EC8CH

that’s what zepfloyd has stated… and his track record from what I can see is pretty good.

Anonymous

What is so special about the prime?

up2bcrazy

My guess is its a LTE version of it for once AT&T gets there LTE network out later this yr.

up2bcrazy

My guess is its a LTE version of it for once AT&T gets there LTE network out later this yr.

Mctypething

Generic comment about how the T Mobile ads suck.

Anonymous

They seem pretty subdued and classy to me. Of course, this is using ie8 at work so maybe it renders differently on FF/Chrome, but I doubt it.

I have a OG droid & im a big droid fan but if none of the good phones come to verizon I have to go with option number two *Phone I mean all the other carriers get the top phones but vzw Thunderbolts sucks & Droid 3 does too I would love to have the SSGII #thatsall

Anonymous

Bionic, vigor and sammy are similar, the only thing is that the bionic it is just better and it has more features.

Before everyone jumps all over this, this also won’t work for Verizon. This release is a GSM multimode chip that fits LTE with it’s natural sister in GSM/WCDMA all on one board so it can maintain the form factor. There’s not a CDMA/LTE AOI board yet that would be needed for Verizon…that would fit the GSII factor that everyone loves. So a Verizon version would need a variant of the variant….which means you’re no closer to ever seeing it. Verizon passed entirely on the GSII. Time to let it go, there’s better phones coming anyway.

Short form, that could be an AT&T LTE phone which going forward are much easier to build than CDMA/LTE phones Verizon needs.

EC8CH

Here’s what my theory is on all this mess.

The next Nexus Device (whatever it’s name is) will debut ICS, will be made by Samsung, will be 4G LTE, and will INITIALLY launch exclusively on Verizon.

Subsequently is will be released on other carriers (minus the LTE) and that way Verizon can claim their version with 4G LTE is “exclusive”.

Anonymous

That’s genius – since VZW is the only U.S. carrier with phones on an LTE network, it’s practically guaranteed to be correct. The only hint of openness from VZW is the original Droid and the only way I can see them going for another open device, like the Nexus, is if they can be sure that data caps are in place for enough users.

Regardless, VZW is counting on their new payment bloatware[1] to boost the bottom-line and a pure Google device with Google Wallet[2] would be a major obstacle that could prevent them from collecting an enormous sum of transaction fees on everything that you and I buy with our phones.

i cant believe this!! me and my sister just got two i-pads for $42.77 each and a $50 amazon card for $9. the stores want to keep this a secret and they dont tell you. go here, EgoWìn.com

DaveIsAwesome

Couldn’t we unlock this phone and stick a Verizon LTE SIM card in it?

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